Lisa Montell Profile

is born in Warsaw, Poland, of Russian-Polish ancestry, to Walery Montwill and his wife

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her brother, Andrew, is born

Late 30s

goes with her family to the States. When her father adopts the family name of his paternal grandmother, Montville, Lisa is raised as Irene Montwill.

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attends the High School of Music and Art and the High School of Performing Arts in New York

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moves with her family to Fort Pierce, Florida

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studies drama for a year at the University of Miami

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moves with her family to Lima, Peru, where her father becomes director of a mining company

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performs with the Lima Theater Workshop

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gets engaged to a Peruvian

c. 53 / 54

debuts in Cecobolo, a.k.a. The Daughter of the Sun God, filmed on location in Peru and produced by Dick Welding, ex-hubby of John Wayne's wife Pilar Palette. Due to financial problems the film won't be released until 1962.

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does a few local films in Peru

Late 53

her father dies unexpectedly

c. early 54

following the death of her father, she, her mother and her brother return to Fort Pierce

Mid-February 54

moves with her mother to Hollywood to complete additional soundtracks for Cecobolo. Her brother will attend a private school in the north.

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signs with the Mitch Hamilburg Agency, which also handles Gene Autry

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gets married and divorced

c. 55

signed to do Pearl of the South Pacific, she catches the eye of billionaire Howard Hughes, who wants to sign her to a personal contract. At their first meeting, she tells him about her love of opera and poetry and Russian literature; she never hears from him again.

attends the premiere of Liberace’s Sincerely Yours at the Pantages Theater

September 55

attends a South American newspaper party with young actor Dick Davalos

56

doesn’t date co-star Rod Taylor while filming World Without End

c. 56

double dates with fellow actress Ruta Lee while filming Gaby

during the filming of Gaby, director Curtis Bernardt takes her, Ruta and Narda Onyx out to dinner